Chapter 1

Joe and Lynn were non-blood cousins. Joe's Dad had a brother Don, who married Marel, who was pregnant at the time. Marel's baby was not Don's and most never quite knew whose it was. The rumor was that she was raped; for any other reason, like she had cheated on Don, would have certainly ended the relationship.

Don died of a heart anomaly right after Marel's baby, Lynn, was born.

Joe's dad, Big Joe, took Marel and her baby under his wing and treated them as he would if Don had lived. Whether he felt he owed this to his brother, or just felt duty bound to family, he made sure Marel was part of the family. Big Joe's own son Joe, was born about 8 months after Lynn.

Big Joe owned an old brownstone 3-story duplex. One quick look at the building would tell you it was 3 flats, but it was a duplex, with each floor of the 2 divisions seeming like 3 long trailers. When Big Joe bought it he planned to make 3 wide flats, but the monkey wrench of Don's death served as the first excuse to put that project off, followed by a succession of others.

Big Joe "gave" the right side of the duplex to Marel with the understanding of what the rent would be. He only asked that within a year she be making full payments of rent. Any payments she missed or was short for before that year he would eventually forgive, as long as she kept current by that years passing.

The shock of Don's death and the birth of her baby kept Marel from working for quite a time after she moved in. By the ninth month of her occupancy she knew she had to face the world once again. Big Joe and his wife, Helen, took in Marel's baby when necessary, and Marel went to work.

Marel was an Ivy League schooled fashion designer who had little problem finding work with a large fashion merchant. She did the window displays that kept passers-by at long length with hopes of bringing them in the store. She assisted the buyers and even helped on the sales floor. She did quite well and soon was carrying her weight in the family and her end of the duplex agreement.

Marel was quite fetching and had no problem attracting men, once she was ready. The trouble was, she felt guilty bringing men into the "family" house. So her men were snuck in, and shoved out a side entrance of the house not seen by Big Joes side. Marel's dates went mostly unnoticed by the other family members. The only problem was, Marel always felt like these "dates" had to be rushed. So there was usually not much courting, unless it was done outside on a date. But, with Lynn, Marel had little time for that.

So, for the most part, Marel would have a friend in, and not too much later she was entertaining them in her bed, or in the privacy of her living room. What she didn't know was that little eyes peek and wonder about noises that go bump in the night. Little Lynn was quite well schooled at the charms a woman could lay at the feet of a man to receive her own satisfaction,... And lots of nice gifts for her and Mommy.

Once she and Joe had reached puberty, she was ready to experiment with her handsome cousin. From that point on until they went on to college, they spent many nights in each other's beds, or near at the few common rooms of the two sides of the house, the shared attic, and the shared basement. They fell in love and until they were 21 assumed to be engaged. However, Lynn dumped Joe for one reason or another; it was never really totally clear as to why. But, Lynn, who worked at a local family owned corner store, never failed to tell the other girls who worked there, what a great and imaginative lover her "cousin" Joe was.

Once a new girl was hired, usually at the change of semester at the local college, Joe found himself being propositioned.

The bulk of the Joe and Lynn Saga, if I chose to rewrite and edit it, will cover most of the details of their story. The one point that needs to be made is, Joe got serious with 3 other women besides Lynn, and with each they seemed to make the perfect couple. However most disturbing, to Joe at least, was that each of these serious relationships ended, each blind-siding him with no real reason. Joe was "dumped" each time.

Joe, now 40, though he hardly looked it, had become jaded about women and was the king of the one-night stand. He still dated women from The Corner Store, but always as flings, never anything more. Some would call to see if he was alone, and then stop by. He led no one on, and made no promises.

Where his love life burned him time after time, his financial prowess on the stock market was not to be believed. His skills in math were such that he never paid a nickel for college, and had even managed to finish High School in 3 years. He managed his fathers business into a small construction empire without ever having to lift a hammer. Where he made his small fortune, was in penny stocks.

Studying probabilities, watching trends in advertising on radio and TV, he bought little stocks low and sold them in great volumes, making 10 to 50 times his money, sometimes within a few days. By his fortieth birthday he was weaning himself off the risk of the penny stock as his major source of income, and stayed with the Wall Street stalwarts. He was well off and secure for his senior years. Simple micro-managing his money was all he need do to insure a comfortable life.

Then came the day when he walked in The Corner Store to get his paper and morning coffee that he saw Selena. She was a vision; A cute, petite blonde haired pixie. Her outgoing personality would make her a favorite of all the male customers, Joe was sure.

The handsome Joe and the friendly smile he greeted her with each day smote Selena, at first. On the first day he saw and smiled for her, she thought it might be someone she already knew. He came on that familiar.

By the third and fourth days of Joe coming in the store the two had gone beyond the simple smiles and were onto Hello's, and Have a Good Days.

On Sunday morning Joe always went to the store to get a raft of out of town papers, which usually came in a separate bundle that he picked up. When he came in this Sunday, Selena was opening his bundle to prepare for displaying.

"Whoa, you don't need to do that, those are all mine." Joe said as he walked in and saw her slitting the band on the bundle.

Selena looked up and smiled big. "Well, Hello! These are ALL yours, I don't think you can read that much." She laughed, thinking he was kidding.

"No really, look at the wrap, it should say "SOLID BUNDLE HOLD FOR JOE." He said.

She picked the wrap from the floor.

"Well, sure enough. I'm so sorry, Uhhh... Joe!" she said holding out her cute little hand to shake.

"I'm Selena, and I'm sorry for doubting your reading ability." She laughed.

"I really don't read them cover to cover, I just check out human interest stories and advertisers. I speculate in the stock market in penny stocks from time to time and I look for fads and the like. It's just a hobby, but I do like to read." Joe said.

"How interesting. I would have figured you to spend Sundays watching football games. You look like an athlete." Selena said blushing that she had admitted checking him out.

"Many years ago I played some baseball and hockey, but no football. My knees are both gamy, but I do manage to stay in shape. Thanks for noticing. I've looked you over as well." He joked.

Selena failed to see the joke though, and turned and walked away saying, "When you're ready to pay for those papers let me know. I have to make coffee and things back here for the after church crowd." She said briskly.

Joe was dumbfounded for a second. He felt foolish that he thought this girl might flirt with him. Her comment about looking "like an athlete" was innocent and not a flirt at all.

"Selena, I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by that. I'm not a dirty old man. I've flirted with lots of the women who have worked here and I took a liberty with my words with someone I don't even know. Please forgive me. I'm really not that kind of guy." Joe apologized.

From behind the counter she poked her head, obviously still miffed.

"Apology accepted. I didn't mean to infer I had looked you over. I was making conversation, that's all." She said, red faced.

"Here, I'll pay for these and be off and let you get to your work." He offered as he walked to the register.

Selena met him there and rang up the 6 papers. Before she could get him the total, he had laid $8.65 on the counter.

"That's eight sixty- five. Oh, I see you already know how much it is. Thanks, uhhh, ummm, Joe." Selena said nervously.

"If you want I can help you get ready for the after-Mass crowd. I've done it lots of times for the girls, err women here. You'll have help coming in at 8." Joe offered.

"You really do know what's going on here don't you? But, I'm new. I shouldn't let any one else behind the counter. It's almost eight, I'll be OK." Selena said just as the front door swung open.

It was Lynn, Joe's cousin and former lover. Lynn had been the day manager of The Corner Store for 15 years. It was in walking distance, and she made up her own hours.

"Tie up the girls, Joe is here sniffing around the new help. Come on Joe, you're old enough to be her father." Lynn yelled out as soon as she saw the 2 talking.

Lynn had no decorum whatsoever. She would say anything to anyone. Joe always figured his long stream of dates with the Corner Store girls resulted from Lynn telling of her exploits with Joe. She made no secret that Joe was a great lover and had him 1000 times. She embarrassed the hell out of Joe over and over again. Only when they were alone did she speak to him with the affection she really held for him. She never clearly revealed why she broke off her relationship with her faux cousin, but still loved him.

Lynn made no bones about the sex she shared with him, sometimes boasting.

"We made love with no protection for 5 years and I never even had a late period." She would tell some of the girls privately. When they would ask what his secret was, she was blunt. "I taught him to do my butt and I had it in my mouth all rest of the time, plus he's a great pussy eater." She would say with a laugh, embarrassing and titillating her listeners.

But she was serious. Her nights sneaking around and watching her mother with her lovers taught her the ways for a man to please a woman or a woman a man. Her mother, Marel, wasn't on any birth control because she was embarrassed to ask the doctor for it. Not being married, her situation embarrassed her. Where Marel was book smart, she had life naivete. But it all worked for her. Occasionally a lover would come with condoms, but she mostly got by and enjoyed pregnancy safe sexual practices. She had no problem getting along without a man in her every "day" life. Her every "night" life was different, however. Lynn was smart enough to learn that she too could enjoy sex without anyone suspecting if she never bought birth control or condoms. She and Joe began their sexual relationship when they were 14.

"He had just offered to help me with the coffee and papers if you weren't on time Lynn." Selena assured her.

"Selena, he's here for one reason. You are a cute little morsel to him, and he would love to get in your pants. Don't let him fool you." Lynn said coarsely.

Selena turned ashen and looked at Joe and stormed to the back room.

Joe turned to Lynn, boiling mad.

"Fuck you Lynn. Why did you say that? For Christ's sake, does every person I talk to in this store have to have your fucking seal of approval. I was just being friendly. She's an innocent, and I treated her that way. I know I'm old enough to be her father, and you her mother, for that matter." Then in an effort to be as mean as he had been, he added, " If you hadn't taken it in the ass so much back then, maybe we would have a daughter all to yourself to abuse." He spat out.

"Oh Joe, I was just kidding around. I didn't realize she was that innocent. She's still in high school, I think. I just met her yesterday for a minute. They hired her while I was away. They only told me she knew how to open, so I let her do Sunday because it's slow and she could handle it. I shouldn't have been so crude with the little girl." Lynn said, a little sorry she had frightened away the young Selena.

Suddenly Selena stormed out to the front.

"DON'T TALK ABOUT ME LIKE I'M NOT HERE!! I am NOT in High School, I happen to be just starting my third year at PolyTech with a near quarter million dollar, 4 year scholarship. I skipped some years of school, but I am 18 and I'm not stupid or naïve. I know the score. If I really thought Joe was trying to "get in my pants" I would have kicked him the balls and threw him out. He seemed like a nice man and I liked his smile. If I have to have the boss's approval for whom I talk to, I quit right now. My mother's brother in law owns this store, but I don't have to work here. Joe was being nice to me!" Selena shouted and then stormed back to her duties.

Lynn looked at Joe and went straight to the back.

"Selena, I'm sorry. I'm constantly on Joe's case. We are cousins and even once engaged to be married. I bust his chops all the while and that was meant as a shot at him, not you. You have to admit you look pretty young and innocent, but I didn't realize the whole situation. I hope you accept my apology, because I don't offer many of them, and don't admit to being wrong too often. Let's start over and everything will be OK. I promise." Lynn said.

Joe figured he better just leave and let well enough be OK for now.

Selena accepted the apology and soon she and Lynn were laughing and cajoling each other, but Lynn never made a mention of Joe to her.

Joe wanted to give Lynn a piece of his mind, but waited until after noon, when the morning help left, to call the store.

"Hello, Corner Store!" the young voice answered.

"Put Lynn on please." Joe said, wondering what other new voice he was encountering.

"She had to leave and go to Medi-Quick. She cut her finger pretty good on the slicer. Who is this, I'll leave her a message." The voice said.

"Gee, is she OK? Did someone else drive her? This is Joe."

"A cop was here at the time, he brought her up. This is Selena, Joe. I'm sorry about this morning. We had a big misunderstanding here, all of us."

"Forget about it. Once you get to know Lynn, you'll understand the situation. She did cast you as "just a kid" and you were right to defend yourself. You know I wasn't coming on to you, I hope."

"Not a problem. I just wish she would call and let me know how she is. She had a huge cut on the end of her thumb. The cop tied a tourniquet above the cut."

"Are you there alone, Selena?"

"Yes, but I think I'm OK. She said she usually works alone on Sunday afternoon noon until 2."

"Yeah, I know that, that's why I called now. Umm, I'm gonna come right down. I've worked there before. I hate to think of you alone there."

"Oh, I would really appreciate it. I am a little worried. The only emergency number I have for this situation is Lynn's and..."

"I'll be right down."

Although Joe or his family had no vested interest in the store, he had been going there all his life, and when he was a toddler, his Mom worked there. There were few days of his life when he didn't set foot into the store. Besides all of that, he worried about Lynn. Although she could be a nasty bitch, and a cold shrew when she wanted to be, he still loved her as family and as the closest friend he ever had.

By the time he got to the store, Lynn had called from Medi-quick and told Selena that the 2 o'clock person and the 4 o'clock usual replacement for Lynn were called and would both be in ASAP. It was just after 1 p.m. when Joe got there.

"Hi there Kiddo, have you heard from Lynn at all?" he asked as he came in the door.

Selena informed him that she had and gave Joe the details.

"I'll stay until your relief gets here and keep the store covered with you. It's really no problem. Lynn calls me from time to time to help her if I'm around." Joe informed her.

"Could you watch the front for a minute while I call my Dad for a ride. Lynn was going to bring me home as soon as relief got here." She asked him.

"Where do you live? If it's on my way, I would be glad to give you a lift." Joe volunteered.

"I'm off Sheraton Ave on Decatur Drive."

"I go right up Sheridan to my own digs, it won't be a problem. I have to go home to change before I go out to watch the Jets game at the Ground Round."

"I knew you would be watching football and not reading all afternoon." She kidded him.

Joe laughed and told her that he normally was done with his papers by 4 o'clock so he could see the late game, as the Jets were in San Diego, but admitted she had him there.

They spent the 45 minutes waiting for the relief to show up just talking casually between them. Joe was impressed with Selena's maturity. Accelerated students, while judged much smarter than their peers, were, in Joe's opinion, usually more proficient in aptitude, the ability to learn, rather than capacity to learn. Thusly, he felt they were usually less mature than their matched schoolmates and usually better suited with students their own age. He was willing to make concessions with Selena, however. He found her engaging and bordering on brilliant in her on target assumptions on the financial horizons ahead. Joe was explaining the why and how of some of his investments and speculations when she interrupted him.

"Unfortunately, there are too many get rich quick schemers out there doing what you are doing. They are artificially inflating prices of some of these so called penny stocks and then selling them, leaving unscrupulous and unsuspecting investors holding the bag on "pennys" that plummet so fast they can't recover." Selena said, the words and thoughts rolling off her lips so quickly and easily that Joe wanted to turn around and check for a teleprompter.